Welcome to Rhode Island Hospital
Leaving the Hospital
Getting Ready
Your physician or nurse will let you know when you can plan to
leave the hospital, usually the day before your discharge. So we
can prepare for our incoming patients, we ask that you plan to leave
in the morning of the day you expect to go home, usually between
10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Your physician will inform your nurses and complete
your records in preparation for your discharge. You cannot be discharged
until your physician completes the necessary medical records.
If you have secured any personal valuables in the hospital safe,
you may personally pick them up at the cashier's office on the ground
floor of the Main Building. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to
6 p.m. on weekdays and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends and
holidays. If you sign a consent form allowing a staff member to
assist you, your items will be picked up and delivered directly
to you.
On occasion, we do experience a delay in the discharge process;
however, we request that your family member or friend be prepared
to pick you up in the morning around 10 a.m. You should arrange
for your ride to pick you up at the admitting circle near the business
office or at the entrance to the Jane Brown Building.
Discharge Instructions
When you are ready to leave the hospital, your nurse will meet
with you and your family to ensure that you have all the information
you will need once you leave the hospital. This information might
include:
- instructions from the medical staff
- information about any medications you need to take
- diet restrictions
- signs or symptoms that you should watch for
- activities to avoid
- when you can return to work and resume normal activities
- arrangements for any follow-up care you need
It is important that you understand your discharge instructions
and how to follow them, so please ask questions if the instructions
are not clear to you.
Follow-Up Care
If your physician recommends follow-up care after you are discharged,
our case management staff can help you with any preparations you
need to make, such as arranging for:
- a nursing home or extended care facility
- home health care services
- home medical equipment
- hospice care
- rehabilitation services
Case managers may refer you to another facility, if needed, and
will discuss transportation from the hospital. They can also provide
you with a list of licensed and/or certified health care providers
in the state and assist you with your selection. You may be familiar
with a provider or decide to continue to receive care through other
Lifespan affiliates, including:
If you would like assistance, please call the case management office
at 401-444-5145.
Insurance and billing 
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